Bradfield's Hornbill(Lophoceros bradfieldi)
It is a medium-sized bird, 50–57 centimetres in length, characterised by black back and wings and a white belly. The tip feathers of the long tail are white. Females are smaller than males and can be recognized by turquoise facial skin. The eyes are yellow and the beak is red. The beak is long and presents no casque.
Habitat
This is an uncommon resident of the mopane woodlands and mixed thorn fields of northeastern Namibia (especially on the Waterberg plateau), northern Botswana, southern Angola and eastern Zimbabwe.
Diet
They are omnivores and they feed mainly on fruits, large insects, nuts and small reptiles. It feeds mainly on invertebrates, catching prey aerially or hunting on the ground. It also searches for small vertebrates, especially in the breeding season, and it may even eat dry seeds.
Breeding
Its breeding habits are not well known. The nest is usually a natural tree cavity, 3-7 m above ground. Once the site is chosen, the female seals the entrance from the inside with her own faeces, leaving just a narrow slit. Surprisingly, the first recorded nest of this bird was in a rock crevice in Namibia, in 1937. Egg-laying season usually peaks from November-December. It usually lays 3 eggs, which are incubated solely by the female, for at least 28 days. The female emerges from the nest chamber when the chicks are about 32 days old, after which she helps the male to provide food for the brood. The chicks usually stay in the nest for about 50 days, only becoming fully independent when they are roughly 3 months old.
Population
According to the IUCN Red List, they are classed as Least Concern(LC). The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is reported to be locally common with patchy distribution. The population is suspected to be in decline locally owing to ongoing habitat destruction.
Threats
Not threatened, although badly affected by logging, which severely affected the population in Zimbabwe.
Conservation
There are currently no conservation actions